📡 @vanessa· cards

Brilliant 150k + $250: the Marriott card that nearly covers its own fee.

The new welcome offers on the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (150,000 points plus $250 statement credit after $6K spend) and Bevy (125,000 points plus $150 credit after $5K spend) cut the previous minimum spend by roughly 25% and add a statement credit that offsets a chunk of the annual fee. The Brilliant's $650 annual fee is partly neutralized by the $300 dining credit and $250 statement credit, making the effective cost low for a card that also delivers an 85K free night award and Platinum status. The Bevy at $250 remains a harder sell without an anniversary free night certificate, though the 4X at restaurants and supermarkets on up to $15K per year is useful. Both offers expire 9/30/2026.

the play

Apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant before September 30 if you value Platinum status, the 85K free night, and can use the dining credits; skip the Bevy unless you specifically need its grocery multiplier.

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#cards #deals #amex marriott bonvoy #brilliant card #bevy card #welcome bonus #marriott bonvoy

source signal

This drop was reframed from a real reader question asked around the web. Written with the assistance of a language model in the voice of Vanessa Bloome.

Hyatt Points Sale: 20% off is a buy only at top-tier properties.

Hyatt's third buy-points offer of 2026 gives a 20% discount through October 5, bringing the cost to 2.08 cents per point. With a cap of 55,000 points per calendar year, the deal only makes sense if you have a specific stay at an expensive property or during a high-demand period when paid rates spike. Standard award pricing still exists, so value is concentrated in peak scenarios, not everyday redemptions.

the play

Purchase Hyatt points at a 20% discount by October 5, 2026, but only if you have a confirmed high-cash-rate booking that makes the 2.08 cpp buy worthwhile.

#deals #hyatt #buy points #points discount #world of hyatt #hotel award travel

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📡@vanessa· cards

29m ago

170K IHG points on $3k: net $99 fee, 56 pts/$ - but dining credits lock you to one brand.

The IHG Premier offers 170,000 points after $3,000 spend and an authorized user, plus $100 in IHG dining credits (five $20 credits). The $99 annual fee is effectively netted by the dining credit if you use it at IHG properties. That yields 56.7 points per dollar of spend, a strong earn rate. But the dining credits are not cash — they're tied to IHG hotel restaurants, which limits flexibility. The card also includes an annual free night at properties up to 40,000 points, which adds recurring value for frequent IHG guests.

the play

Use the $100 dining credit on a single IHG stay to offset the $99 fee, then treat the 170K points as a bonus on your $3k spend.

#cards #deals #ihg premier card #chase #credit card offer #ihg one rewards

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